Coin-operated machine



(No Model.)

A. W. ROOVERS. G01N OPERATBD MACHINE.

No. 407,039. Patented July 16, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED \V. ROOVERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEIN' YORK.

COIN-OPERATED MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,039, dated July 16, 1889.

Application tiled December 24, 1888. Serial No. 294,462. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. RoovERs, of Brooklyn, in Kings county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Coin-Operated Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement relates to machines which are operated or controlled by coin-actuated devices.

The object of the improvement is to pre vent the introduction into such machines of articles which would tend to injure them.

The improvement consists in the combination, in a machine of the kind mentioned, of a pivoted coin-receptacle, a coin-chute, and a wheel. provided with teeth or blades arranged adjacent to the inlet, slit, or opening, and having its teeth or blades working in close proximity to that wall or side of the chute along which an article introduced thereinto will slide, and having the teeth or blades spaced so that before one leaves the said wall or side another shall move into proximity therewith. This will prevent the introduction into the machine of any device which is too large to lit between two adjacent teeth or blades of the wheel.

The improvement is ot' very great importance, because it prevents the introduction of coins upon strings, wires, strips of paper or metal, and like articles from being introduced into the machine. By guarding against this source of injury to the machines it is possible to make various parts of the machines lighter than otherwise would be possible.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of a portion of a machine operated or controlled by a coin-actuated device and embodying the improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of certain parts. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section showing certain parts.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a chute having' contracted portions at opposite sides of an enlarged or concaved portion, and through which a coin may be passed to a device which controls or operates a machine of the kind commonly in usel for performingvarious operations automatically. This chute may be made ol metal or any other suitable material. It is provided with au inlet, slit, or opening a, into which a coin of a certain kind is intended to beinserted. Yeneath the chute is arranged a lever B. At one end this lever is provided with a cross-bar I), constructed to serve as a lock or detent for the machine with which the lever operates. At the other end this lever is furnished with a coin-receptacle b. A coin deposited through the chute into the receptacle will tilt the lever so as to disengage it from the mechanism which it controls and allow such mechanism to operate. XVhen the lever tilts far enough, the coin will be discharged from its receptacle. After the discharge of the coin a Weight b2, with which the lever is furnished, will swing the lever into its normal horizontal position again.

C designates a wheel having a number of teeth or blades c. This wheel is as wide as the coin-chute and is automatically operated by the weight of a coin. Opposite it the lower wall or side of the chute, which is the one along which the coin will slide, is bent out or made internally concave on a curve which is concentric with the axis of the wheel, as illustrated at a. The teeth or blades of the wheel are arranged at such distance that a coin of the kind which is intended to be received by the machine may pass between two adjacentteeth orblades. The teeth or blades of the wheel pass in close proximity with the curved or concave portion of the lower wall or side of the chute.

To more readily insure the rotation of the wheel by the weight of a coin, I arrange the axis of the wheel at one side or out of the line of the chute, as shown in the drawings.

In Fig. l I have shown a coin passing the wheel. In Fig. 2 I have illustrated that a piece of wire cannot be passed beyond the wheel, because when its end is pushed against one tooth or blade the next adjoining tooth or blade of the wheel will be forced against it and stopped by it. The wheel will then be held against. turning.

Iieces ot' wire, strips of paper, wood, coins on strings, and like articles and contrivances will be prevented from passing into the machine. This is of great importance, because it preserves the machine and also enables parts of the machine to be made lighter and less expensive than heretofore.

Vhat is here claimed as the invention, and desired to be secured by Letters. Patent, is-

In a coin-operated machine, the combination, with a pivoted coin-receptacle, ofv a chute having the internally-concaved portion and 'l contracted portions arranged in a line at opposite sides of the concaved portion, and a Wheel adapted to be operated by the Weight of a coin,having its axis out of the line of the contracted portions and provided With blades extending to the wall of the concaved portion, 1 5 and so spaced that two of the blades may lhave their edges bet-Ween the two contracted portions, substantially as specified.

ALFRED W. ROOVERS. Witnesses:

C. R. FERGUSON, S. O. EDMoNDs. 

